Op-ED: 2 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Iranian Strikes, Trump Vows Revenge With Tough Talk We’ve Heard Before

Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty

Two more U.S. soldiers have been killed in President Donald Trump’s war in Iran, and now Trump is threatening that Iran “will pay for that killing many times over,” which, of course, is tough talk we’ve all heard before by this president, who continues to emphasize the dangers of Iran’s nuclear capabilities to justify the conflict.

According to NBC News, on Monday, the Defense Department, which has rebranded itself the “Department of War,” released the names of two soldiers killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan: 25-year-old Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and 19-year-old Isabella Gonzales of Texas.

From NBC:

Gonzales was killed Friday and Feehan on Saturday. The Pentagon did not provide details on the exact circumstances of their deaths.

Feehan and Gonzales had been assigned to Army missile defense commands in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Ansbach, Germany, respectively, it said.

The Pentagon said the two U.S. troops were part of a longtime, ongoing mission to counter ISIS, Operation Inherent Resolve, that began in 2014.

The troops were not technically part of the war with Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the Pentagon, despite President Donald Trump saying on Sunday that the troops were killed while ensuring Iran does not get a nuclear weapon.

“Those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters.

First of all, it would be considered disgraceful for a sitting president to even use the language, “We feel very badly, but…” regarding U.S. soldiers who have been killed in his war of choice, but, for Trump, we have lowered the bar for everything considered appropriate and becoming of the office of commander in chief. Predictably, Trump was unable to honor the dead with more than a few passing words of condolence before defaulting to his usual script of pro-war fearmongering, while ignoring all of the thousands of civilian deaths that have happened as a result of U.S. and Israeli strikes, including the nearly 200 students who were killed in a strike on an elementary school early on in the war.

And, of course, he took to his Truth Social platform to continue to level threats against Iran that are similar to threats he has launched repeatedly since the war began.

During a White House briefing on Tuesday, a reporter noted that “there are no signs that Iran is ready to stop fighting,” and asked Trump plainly, “So what is the plan?”

“How would you know if there are no signs?” Trump asked, in his usual tone of indignance, as if reporters had no right to ask him reasonable and relevant questions he should be ready and willing to answer as the so-called “leader of the free world.”

“They continue to attack our allies,” the reporter replied, stating the obvious.

“They want to meet desperately to end it,” Trump shot back. “You don’t get that when you listen to your fake station. You don’t know anything.”

See, that’s the thing, Trump — none of us know anything, including you, apparently.

Since the U.S. and Israeli governments began launching missile strikes in Iran back in February, the Trump administration has not been able to stick to a consistent message, or any unambiguous message at all. One day, the war “has been won”; the next day we’re unsuccessfully trying to pressure allies to get involved and help us win, after the president claimed we didn’t need them. One day, we’ve obliterated Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities; the next day Trump is claiming the nation is still a nuclear threat, but we can probably let it keep its missiles, though. One day, we don’t even need the Strait of Hormuz, according to the president; the next day, it’s “open the f**king Strait!” One day, there’s a ceasefire, and the Strait of Hormuz is open, and usually that same day, the ceasefire has ended, the Strait is an Iranian-controlled problem once again, and Trump is issuing fresh threats to destroy Iran in a knee-jerk response.

Trump has also been repeatedly claiming for months now that Iran is “begging” for a deal, a narrative that is undermined by the fact that he’s always appearing to be way more desperate for a deal than the Iranian government. Trump has routinely threatened Iran while simultaneously claiming negotiations are going well.

The president can lash out at journalists for doing their jobs all he wants, but it won’t make him look any less like a bully who can’t really fight.

Of course, to let Trump tell it, Iran better be shaking in its boots, because so far, “we’ve been nice.”

SEE ALSO:

Trump Can’t Control The Strait Of Hormuz, So He Attacks Iran Again

World Leaders Say Peace Negotiations Are Going Well, So Why Is Trump Still Threatening Iran?